Guide-roll for webs.



W. S. MORSE.

GUIDE ROLL FOR WEBS.

APPLICATION FILED DEC.18. 1913,

1 ,1 89,6 1 l Patented July 4, 1916.

WILLIS s. MORSE, or .IHILADELTPHIA, PEN SYLVANIA.

GUIDE-ROLL FOR, wEBs.

Application filed December 18, 1913.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, l/VILLIS S. MoRsE, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Philadelphia,'county of Philadelphia, State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Guide-Rolls for Webs, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in guiding devices for webs of paper, cloth or the like and has particular reference to a novel compensating roll.

. The roll embodying the invention,.for purposes of illustration, is shown mounted in a printing press where it guides a paper web and compensates to a certain extent for changes of tension in the web dueto the varying friction on the supply roll shaft and .the irregularities in the pull of the printing couples. It will be understoodhowever that the invention is of general application and its use is not limited to a printing press.

In unwinding or reeling material in the form of a continuous web there is always more or less change in the tension and such changes are very seldom distributed -uniformly across the width of the web. On the contrary one edge of the web is usually at a different tension from the other and it is one of the objects of this invention to equalize the edge tensions so as to afford a more uniform pull over the width of the web as a whole before the. same passes to automatic tension regulating mechanism, couples or other mechanism to which the web is delivered.

The above and other objects and novel features will be apparent from the following description taken in connection with the drawing in which,

Figures 1 and 2 are respectively a side elevation and plan View of so much of a printing press as is necessary to show a typical application of my invention; Fig.8 is a central longitudinal sectional view of the guide roll embodying my invention, parts being shown in elevation; Fig. 4 is a cross section .of the roll taken along the line 4 1 of Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is a cross section of the roll taken along the line 55 of Fig. 3;

Referring tothe drawing, 10 and 11 designate the side frame members of a printing press or like apparatus through which the webv W is fed. Brackets 12 and 13 are suitably connected to the rear vertical edges of the frame members 10 and 11, respectively,

Specification of Letters Patent.

printlng Patented July 1,1916.

Serial No. 807,475.

and are provided with suitable bearings 14 and 15 to receive and rotatably support the ends of a shaft 16. Between the bearings 14, 15 the shaft 16 carries a roll 17 of paper web, the roll being so supported that, when the web W is drawn or fed, the shaft 16 rotates.

Brackets l8 and 19, suitably secured to the side members 10, 11 of the frame, have parts which extend rearwardly of the frame and parallel. to brackets 12 and 13. Each of the brackets 18, 19 is provided with a recess 20 in the upper face of its rear end to receive a bearing box 21 which is slidable horizontally along the bottom of, said recess. Springs 22, 22 bear against the front walls so as to tend to keep the said boxes in abutment with the rear walls of the recesses and at the same time allow the said bearing boxes and the member carried thereby to yield a limited amount in a horizontal direction. A shaft 24; which carries the compen sating roller= has its ends supported in sockets in the bearing boxes 21, 21 and the ends of the shaft together with the bearing boxes and springs are locked in'the recesses 20, 20 by means of plates 25, 25. The compensating roll is thus mounted directly above the supply roll 17 and the web W drawn from the said roll passes around part of the periphery of the compensating roll. Due to changes in the tension of. the web, the springs 22, 22 permit the roll and the shaft 24 on which it is mounted to yield at either end independently and in the direction the web is moving.

Figs. 3, +1 and 5 show the construction of the compensating or guiding roller more in detail. A spherical steel ball 27 is keyed to the shaft 24 by means of a pin 271, or by some other suitable securing means. The steel ball 27 is located approximately half way between the ends of the shaft 24:.and the latter passes diametrically through said ball. A hollow cylindrical metal shell 28 is supported by said ball for universal movement, the web W passing over the outer surface of the shell. In the illustration, the shell is shown as having a length equal to more than six times its diameter. In practice, the guide and compensating rolls for use in printing presses are relatively much longer than their diameter. T0 properly support the shell 28 on the ball 27 I form a bearing to fit the ball, The said bearing consists of two of the recesses and against the bearing boxes stitute a universal or flexible connection be tween'the shell and its supporting shaft. The outer surface of the halves 29 and 291, when they are fitted on the ball corresponds to the inner diameter of the shell and when the latter is slipped over the said halves, the shell and halves are suitably keyed or fastened together, as by means of the pins 32 driven into the halves from the outside of the shell. Before the shell is assembled on the shaft, similar square-faced metal collars 33 and 3 1 are slipped on the shaft, and, by means of set screws, are keyed thereto at substantially equal distances from the opposite sides of the ball 27. I

A. spring finger 35 is rigidly secured to each of the four faces of the collars 33 and 3 1. Each spring extends longitudinally of the shaft toward the end of the cylindrical shell 28 and is bent outwardly away from the shaft and curved at its end as at 36 to form convex bearing surfaces which engage the inner surface of the cylindrical shell. The sets of springs on opposite sides of the ball serve to sustain the ends of the shell besides permitting the shell to yield at either end. The shell may thus temporarily as sume an angular position with reference to the shaft, due to the ball and socket or universal connection between the two at the center, and will be automatically restored to a concentric position with the shaft when the pressure across the width of the web becomes uniform. The frictional engagement between the ball and its bearing, and between the springs and interior of the shell will serve to rotate the shaft with the shell when the latter is rotated by the web. How ever, it will be clear that the shell may even rotate independently of the shaft, depending upon the degree of friction. .The advantage of this construction will be apparent by considering the changing directions. of the tension forces as indicated in Fig. 1. The web W feeding from a new" or nearly full roll of paper or the like, when guided as indicated in full lines in Fig. 1, tends to pull the compensating roll nearly horizontally or the horizontal component of the tension will be the greater and the yielding of the roll and shaft will be in the direction of the springs 22, 22, the-spring fingers 35 and universal ]O1I1t cooperating with the springs 22. However, as the roll decreases in diameter and for instance when it be-' in the web at the said roll is very materially decreased and the resultant of the forces does not tend to move the'roll bearings against the springs 22. Under the latter conditions the shell is free to yield a limited extent from either edge to the ball and socket bearing, and will relieve excessive tensions which may tear'the web. When the edge of the web has been broken, the tendency with the rolls in use and under ordinary conditions is to continue tearing across the width of the web, but with the present form of roll the pull at the unbroken edge will be the greatest which will cause the shell to yield and equalize the tension across the width of the web and eliminate the tendency to further tear the web.

It will be understood that the compensating feature may be entirely omitted if desired and rolls embodying the present invention may be used simply as guide rolls for the web, as for example the guide roll 40 which is rotatably mounted in the side frame members 10 and 11 and embodies this i v invention.-

It is frequently the case that rolls formed. j

rigid with 'the shaft are not true cylinders or may not be exactly concentric with the shaft or its bearings, thereby causing unequal tension across the Width ,of the web. The present form of guide roll eliminates the above mentioned disadvantage since the shell or portion. of the roll which comes in contact with the web may assume the proper position with relation to the web irrespective of the condition of the supporting shaft or its bearings. I

It will be apparent that the device is susceptible of numerous modifications withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention to be limited to the exact details as shown and described. a

and it is to be understood that I do not wish Having thus described my invention what I claim is 1. In a device of the class described, the

press, comprising a relatively long cylindrical member of substantially uniform diameter over which the web is adapted to run, a support for said member, and .a' universal connection between said member and support.

3. A guide roll Comprising a cylindrical member of substantially uniform diameter, a support for said member, a universal connection between said support and member, whereby said support and member may assume any one of a number ofrelations different from their initial relation, and means capable of restoring said support and member to their initial relation.

4. In a printing press, a guide roll for webs comprising a supporting shaft, a relatively long cylindrical member having an exterior surface over which the web may run, and a connection between said member and shaft whereby the member may rotate about and independently 'of-the shaft and whereby said member and shaft may assume different angular relations with respect to each other.

5. In a guide roll for webs, the combination of a shaft and a guiding device carried by the shaft and normally disposed parallel thereto, said guiding device having the exterior surface over which a web is adapted to run and being so supported on the shaft that it may assume an angular position with respect to the shaft when the pressure exerted thereon is unequal and arranged so that it will be automatically restored to its nor mal parallel position when the pressure on all parts thereof is uniform.

6. In a printing press, the combination of a yieldable supporting shaft, a relatively long cylindrical member, and a connection between said member and shaft whereby the member may rotate about and independently of the shaft and whereby said member and shaft may assume different ,angular relations with respect to each other.

7. In a device of the class described, the combination of a roller comprising a sub stantially cylindrical shell, means for flexibly connecting the shell to the support and means between the shell and support for yieldably maintaining said shell in a predetermined position.

8. In a device of the class described, the combination of a yieldably mounted shaft, a shell surrounding the shaft, and means for flexibly connecting the shell to the shaft.

9. In a device of the class described, the combination of a yieldably mounted shaft, a shell surrounding the shaft, means for flexibly connecting the shell to the shaft, and

means for yieldably supporting the ends of the shell.

10. In a guide roll, the combination of a rotatably supported shaft, a cylindrical shell surrounding the shaft, means for flexi bly connecting the shell to the shaft, and

ball and socket ,connection between said.

tube and the shaft, and resilient members between the shaft and the ends of thetube for I yieldably supporting said ends.

13. Ina guide roll for webs, the combination of a cylindrical shell or tube, a'sl'iaft extending along the axis of the tube, a ball rigidly connected to said shaft, a socket for the ball on the interior of the tube, said ball and socket forming a flexible connection intermediate the ends of the tube, and meansbetween the shaft and the ends of the tube for yieldingly supporting said ends.

14. In a guide roll for webs, the combination of a cylindrical tube, a shaft extending longitudinally of said tube, a flexible con nection between the shaft and the tube and located substantially at the center of the latter, and springs between the shaft and the ends of the tube for yieldingly supporting the said ends.

15. In a guide roll for webs, the combination of a cylindrical shell, a shaft extending longitudinally through said shell, a flexible connection between the shaft and the shell and located within the latter and intermediate its ends, collars on opposite sides of said flexible connection, and yieldable members carried by said collars yieldably sup porting the ends of the shell.

16. In a guide roll for webs, the combination of a cylindrical shell, a shaft extending longitudinally through said shell, a ball and socket connection between said shell and the shaft and located within the shell and intermediate its ends, collars secured to the shaft on opposite sides of said ball and socket connection, and spring fingers rigidly connected to said collars and having their free ends bent outwardly and yieldably supporting the ends of the shell, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIS S. MORSE.

Witnesses ARTHUR L. BRYANT, E. L. GREENEWALD. 

